Beyond
by The Charmed Rose
Summary: Tess needed to escape from the ongoing dangers in her life, and chose to return home for a little while. She hardly expected Zod to follow her.


It's actually quite simple really.

Behind the great big castle walls of hostility, loneliness, abandonment, and enough issues to fill a book, the likeness between them is not large, but similar.

She built herself up to the top of the food chain of wealth, but money never did by happiness, not after all she had left was her career. That red-headed six-year-old was still in there, still desperate to save the world from itself.

He worked till he was at the highest rank in his army. But a mere title of "general" could not fill the gaping hole, that had been punched through him the day his wife and son were taken from him. All he had now was the job to watch out for his remaining people.

Yes. They weren't uncanny, but a few similarities were noticeable.

...

Tess was tired, really tired.

After spending half the night with Chloe and temporarily dying in the process, she was sure after the nights events that warranted a rest.

Tess seated herself on the expensive leather couch, which overlooked the burning fire in front of her. Not in the mood for a drink, the glass of wine on the nearby coffee table remained untouched.

_When did everything become so screwed up?_

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Tess rested her head on the soft cushion. But seconds after her eyes slipped shut, an all too familiar voice gained her attention.

"Where were you tonight?"

Tess was not in the mood for the back and forth banter between her and Zod, and frankly his cryptic attitude was really starting to irritate her.

She had put herself on the line tonight when trying to erase Watchtower's information on The Kandorians. And yet she had no clue if she even succeeded in doing so.

Tess did not move from her spot, and didn't bother to turn around. "Attending to business," she replied, as Zod wordlessly seated himself next to her.

"Rifling through my wine cellar again?" Tess smirked to herself, tilting her head to face him. Zod had a small amused smile playing on his lips, and casually pointed out:

"You're annoyed."

"I gathered that."

"Let's just say I've had a bad day."

The conversation Tess had shared with Oliver was still playing on her mind, and the way he acted... No one had ever been that cold to her before, and it had kind of put things into perspective.

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"I'm sure you are."

The scoff in Tess's voice spiked Zod's curiosity, and the broken tone and look upon the human woman's face was especially strange.

In the short time he had known the petite red-head, she had always seemed quite hardened. Tess's cold hard exterior was not something he had expected to come across on this Earth, yet the playful yet closed off attitude was gone for the moment.

Zod chose his words carefully, unsure of how to go ahead. She seemed visibly in a bad mood, and was aware any bad wording could set off an emotional trigger.

Zod spared a glance at a packed suitcase, that was resting against the couch. She seemed to be headed out, and he was hoping to find out if it was permanent.

"Are you leaving?" Zod asked curiously, with no hidden threats in his words. Tess found this odd, as it made him look almost... human.

Was that the right word?

Tess could still remember those three weeks that she spent with the Kandorians, and she originally believed they were nothing short of the way they had treated her.

He seemed genuinely curious, which worried her slightly as this could fall into his hidden motives. Was he after something? Was he trying to coerce something out of her?

"I'm going away for a few days," Tess answered, deciding not to detail her answer. Besides she didn't want him knowing she was going home. That was a place where she could escape to, and it was where she had decided that she needed to go.

The look on Zod's face remained, causing Tess to roll her eyes. "I'm sure you'll survive without me," she teased, attempting to brush off the subject.

A small smile played on the man's lips, and surprisingly enough he didn't reply to her.

"A few days?"

"Yep."

What was even more odd was that Zod looked to be quite amused by this, and had left hurriedly without warning. What had he wanted?


End file.
